Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sue Lowden, who is challenging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for his seat, says that it would be so nice if people who can’t afford to pay for health care could just do what they did in the “olden days” and “bring a chicken to the doctor.”

“Let’s change the system and talk about what the possibilities are. I’m telling you that this works. You know, before we all started having health care, in the olden days, our grandparents, they would bring a chicken to the doctor. They would say I’ll paint your house,” she said. “[That’s] what people would do to get health care with their doctors. Doctors are very sympathetic people.”

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has put up a page called “Chickens for Checkups” that says, “Need a doctor? Just ask Sue,” with a mock form letter to Lowden that asks people to fill out just what old-time disease they’re suffering from (rickets? the vapors?) and how many chickens they’re offering.